Clashes erupt after the left wins legislative elections in the country; in Paris, more than 5,000 police officers were mobilized
Protesters clashed with French police on Sunday (7 July 2024) after election results were announced. The centre-left coalition emerged victorious, taking a majority of seats in the National Assembly. Due to the protests, more than 5,000 police officers were mobilized in Paris.
In the rest of the country, there were 25,000. Incidents began to erupt when protesters waving a French flag and chanting slogans in support of the unity of the left arrived at the Place de la République, according to the The Parisians. The situation worsened shortly before 10pm local time (5pm Brasilia time)with the first clashes between the police and masked or hooded individuals.
Watch (43sec):
Place de la République, the police turn their selves into violence.
Bad luck in saying that.@xztim_ pic.twitter.com/4UAxThwCcr— Marcel (@realmarcel1) July 7, 2024
Watch (26sg):
the forces of order proceed to question protesters on the site of the #Republish #legislatives2024 #Elections2024 #NewFrontPopular pic.twitter.com/8QvrQkv5uQ
— Timothée Forget (@xztim_) July 7, 2024
Watch (38sec):
Place de la République tonight.
The extreme left is the enemy of France.
She won, she destroyed everything.
She lost it, she destroyed everything.
We must eradicate extreme left-wing Islamo-collaborationism. pic.twitter.com/D1uxwEwEGM
— Jean MESSIHA (@JeanMessiha) July 7, 2024
Security measures
To contain possible violent acts in the coming days, French authorities will maintain security measures, which include a larger police force on duty, in force “at least until July 16th”indicating concern about the continuation of the disturbances.
According to French media, the country’s intelligence service was already anticipating a “hardening” of actions on the part of “extremist movements”regardless of the outcome of the elections.
THE ELECTION IN FRANCE
The right wing was defeated in the second round of the elections for the National Assembly this Sunday (June 7, 2024). In third place, the RN (Régroupement Nationale, right wing), Marine Le Pen’s party, and its allies won 143 seats in the Lower House of Parliament, according to Le Monde’s projection. The polls closed at 8 pm (3 pm Brasília time).
The result, significantly below expectations after the first round on June 30, where 297 seats were estimated, shows that French President Emmanuel Macron’s gamble of calling new legislative elections after the right’s advance in the European Parliament was successful, and the alliance between the center and the left was crucial in preventing the RN’s expected victory.
The “cordon sanitaire,” which encouraged less competitive candidates to withdraw from the second round in order to reduce the right’s chances, was effective in preventing the rise of a prime minister from the National Regroupment. Jordan Bardella (RN, right), was the most likely candidate to take office. However, neither the center nor the left will achieve an absolute majority of 289 seats out of the 577 needed to form a government on their own.
Thus, once the count in France was complete, the NFP (New Popular Front), a coalition formed in a hurry to defeat Marine Le Pen (Rally National, right), won 182 seats out of 577.
Here is the number of seats by political position:
- left – went from 142 to 182;
- center – went from 246 to 168;
- right – went from 153 parliamentarians to 188.
The future of cohabitation between the parties in the National Assembly is still uncertain, but Macron avoided a crushing defeat, as his coalition will outperform the right. However, this does not exactly represent a victory for Macron.
When the French president dissolved the National Assembly after his defeat in the European Parliament elections, he said the measure was necessary to allow the French people to choose their leaders. In the second round of voting on Sunday (7 July), his coalition still received fewer votes than the left-wing union, and the discontent of segments of the French with his government is still visible.
#Clash #protesters #police #French #elections